


I'd Like to Think So

by ColorfulDolce



Series: Flicker in the Night [1]
Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Desolation!Tim, Distortion!Sasha, F/M, Mentions of Jonathan Sims, Mentions of Martin Blackwood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-12-15 22:03:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21025445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColorfulDolce/pseuds/ColorfulDolce
Summary: In the aftermath of it all, Sasha and Tim wonder if things could have gone differently.--“You can’t keep doing this...”“I think I can keep doing what I want, Sasha,” he bit out, “And what I want to do, is ignore everything that isn’t my Indian curry right now.”





	I'd Like to Think So

**Author's Note:**

> Hey I binged The Magnus Archives and I have a lot of feelings about Sasha and Tim and them Being Kind Of Okay.
> 
> While I tried to keep things as vague as possible, there’s general spoilers for Seasons 1-3. Nothing too big, if you don’t read into things.

“Do you think he misses us?”

Tim paused, hands slowly lowering. He considered it for a moment, before he shrugged.

“Can’t say for sure. He’s got his own issues to deal with,” he replied. He returned to his dinner.

“You know I’m not talking about Martin, right?”

Sasha watched as Tim gave her a noncommittal shrug. She frowned.

“You can’t keep doing this...”

“I think I can keep doing what I want, Sasha,” he bit out, “And what I want to do, is ignore everything that isn’t my Indian curry right now.”

Sasha sighed, went back to her reading. Knowing what she knew now, she wondered if Micheal--Helen?--the Distortion, ever paid Mr. Junji Ito a visit...

“Yuh rea’in yuhr a’ime boo’gks akgain?” Tim asked, muffled by his mouthful of food.

Sasha licked her thumb and turned the page.

“Oh--” he swallowed and dabbed his mouth, “Oh come on. It was a friendly question.”

“And I thought you said you were going to ignore everything except your curry, Timothy.”

“Well I can make a few exceptions.”

Sasha hummed...

“C’mon, Sasha.”

She sighed and closed her book, then turned it so that Tim could read the cover.

“Huh...How...do you pronounce that, exactly? ‘Uh-ZUH-may-key?’”

She couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Oh please, now you’re starting to sound like Martin.”

“Well then how do _you_ pronounce it Miss World Traveler?”

She smiled, “I’ve heard a lot of people saying it’s ‘Oo-zoo-MA-key.’”

He let out a low whistle.

“Well in any case, looks like your boss’s dipping its hands into pop culture.”

“I can’t complain, it makes my job easier,” Sasha said, just a smidgen too nonchalant about it. Tim watched her read, then looked down to his rapidly cooling curry. He sighed, and hovered his hand over the plate.

“So...you’re giving into it, then?” Tim asked, equally overly nonchalant.

“No more than Martin or Jon have,” she replied. She glanced over at Tim’s hands.

“No more than you have,” she said, finally. Tim flinched.

“...It makes reheating dinner a lot easier.”

It wasn’t...Well, it wasn’t as if either of them _really_ had any say in the matter. They were all Beholding’s at one point, but maybe not. Maybe the Archivist is the only one who truly belongs to Beholding. Maybe Sasha and Tim...even Martin, or any other assistant was only ever borrowed, examined. It seemed to make sense. Gather as many avatars under your roof and observe their behaviour. Anything to satisfy its hunger for knowledge.

“Do you think it was inevitable? Or did we have a choice?”

She looked at Tim, who was staring intently at his curry. She bit her lip.

“I...I don’t know. Maybe? Probably? I like to think so,” she said. She idly thumbed the corner of the page, “I mean, it’s not like we were _compelled_ to join the Institute...”

Tim scoffed.

“Oh? And how do we know?” he bitterly spat out.

“We don’t, but again. I like to think that.”

There was the ghost of fingers carding through his hair, and Tim sighed. He leaned into the phantom touch.

“Wish you could--”

“I know, Tim.”

“...Yeah. Sorry.”

Suddenly, a thought occurred to Sasha.

“Do you think--” she had to fight down a smile, “Do you think you would end up like that one candle girl? From that movie? If you went kayaking again.”

“What mov--the moon one?” He thought about it for a moment, then said, “I don’t know. I don’t think so? It’s not like I’m _actually_ made of wax. God, I would desolate myself if I was.”

“Well, one way to find out.”

Sasha smiled. Tim looked at her like she’d lost it--which maybe she had. The Distortion was probably the thickest of the bunch. He very well could pass his knitting needle around.

“_You_? Want to go kayaking with _me_?”

“Why not?” she laughed, “I think it would be fun! It’s not like we could die now, I don’t think. And I mean, what are rapids if not mini little spirals? Maybe Distortion could open a door for us if we end up going overboard.”

“Right, right, as if _that_ solves anything.”

“You know, Tim,” Sasha began, mischievous smirk on her face, “I think you’re starting to sound a bit like Jon. So worried, so _paranoid_.”

“Whoa, hey, I am _not_ paranoid!”

“Hmm...I don’t know...”

Tim began shoveling the rest of his dinner into his mouth, and Sasha knew she’d won.

Tim felt the sensation of lips against his temple, and he shook his head fondly.

Things may never be how they were but...

But...

But they’ll make do, he supposed. They always did.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay normally I don't write things that are quite this dialogue heavy, but normally I also don't just write things without a plot in mind. So!!  
oh i am SCREAMING!! PLEASE!! check out this fanart for this fic!! I'm so....AHHHHHHH!!!!  
https://tanis-drawings-2point0.tumblr.com/post/188632555535/if-you-like-timsasha-then-please-read-id-like-to  
\--
> 
> Want more? Send me a request!
> 
> salvadoerena.tumblr.com


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